Instrument supporting head bands



June 14, 1955 R. H. GlLLER 2,710,609

INSTRUMENT SUPPORTING HEAD BANDS Filed Jan. 6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. Faflffif' A4 6744 A??? June 14, 1955 R. H. GILLER INSTRUMENTSUPPORTING HEAD BANDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1951 INVENTOR.6/445? United States Patent INSTRUMENT SUPPORTING HEAD BANDS Robert H.Giller, Jamaica Estates, N. Y. Application January 6, 1951, Serial No.204,785

9 Claims. (Cl. 12821) This invention relates to improvements ininstrument supporting head bands. v v

The general object of the invention is to provide an instrumentsupporting head band having improved characteristics of ease andcertainty of adjustment. j

With this and still other objects which will appear in the followingfull description in mind, the invention consists in the combinations andarrangements of parts, and details ,of construction, which will nowfirst be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing andthen be more particularly pointed out' in' the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a head band embodying the invention in apreferred form;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is an exploded view on an enlarged. scale of part of Figure l,with parts broken away to show internal structure;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the parts assembled;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5 -5 of Figure 2;

Figure 5A is a detail plan view of a clip element of Figure 5;

Figure S-B is a section on the line 5B5-B of Figure S-A; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 2, with parts brokenaway to show the structure.

The head band includes a pair of straps 1 and 2 forming a head band,together with a forehead fitting, indicated generally at 3, foradjustably supporting a mirror, light or other desired piece ofequipment. A typical use of such device is by physicians, whereverillumination of an area being examined is required. Strap 1 may beprovided with perforations 4, as usual, and has a series of sets oftriple perforations 5 for holding a locking device generally of usualtype. This device comprises a circular disc 6 having a threaded centerstem 7 and a pair of prongs 8, the stem 7 and prongs 8 beingaccommodated in a set of the holes 5, as indicated in Figures 5 and 6.An apertured plate 9 and knurled nut 10 complete the fitting. The otherstrap 2 has a slot 11 within which the prongs 8 and stem 7 fit, and thehead band may be adjusted by sliding the strap 2 to desired position andthen tightening the nut 10. To provide for extreme ranges of adjustment,the member 6 may be shifted from one set of holes 5 to another. Thediameter of the holes 5 is preferably such that the prongs 8 fit snugly,so that there is no tendency for the element 6 to fall out when the nut10 is loosened, and so that the tendency to open a gap between the disc6 and the strap 1 in which the hair might be caught is eliminated. Sincethe disc 6 may be shifted for major adjustments, the slot 11 may be mademuch shorter than usual with similar adjustments, reducing tendency ofthe slot edges to gap. As shown in Figures S-A and 5B, the disc 6 has aslightly raised rim 6' forming a center concavity, preferably just largeenough to receive the nut 10. This results in the frictional gripoccurring between the inner edge of the rim of disc 6 and the outer edgeof nut 10, permitting the parts to bite into the strap 2 and removingthe pressure area from the edges of the slot 11. It is found possible,with this construction, to eliminate the plate 9 and a much betterholding action is obtained, with or without the plate, than can be hadwhere the disc 6 is flat.

The other ends of the straps 1 and 2 meet and overlap over the forehead,these straps having holes 15 (Figures 3 and 4) for fitting over a stud16. The stud 16 carries a ball 17 and is formed with a flange forengaging a cupped cover disc 18. A cushion 19 automatically fits andconforms to the forehead. The cushion 19 is preferably circular andconcave, as shown, and is preferably made of rubber, synthetic rubberorsimilar resilient material.

An insert 20 having upset perforations 21, for preventing" its turningand coming loose, is molded in the disc 19,

and the splined or ridged end 22 of the stud 16 is driven into a tubularcentral portion of the member 20 so as to be held securely therein. Aslight boss 23 is formed in the center of the element 19. Driving thestud 16 brings the parts into the relation shown in Figure 4, where theyare securely held together but pivotal movement of the' straps 1 and 2is permitted about stud 16.

The pivotal attachment of the straps 1 and 2 at the forehead fittingpermits angular adjustment of the straps to conform to and lie flatagainst the forehead adjacent the temples. The cover plate 18 compressesthe straps against the pad or cushion 19 toward its center to retain 1the straps in a given angular adjustment. With the headround, as shown,so as to operate in any position.

. should conform to the cushion 19 in the vertical plane,

band in position on the head, the straps compress the pad almost to itsedges, further restricting pivoting of the straps about stud 16. Thecover disc 18 is preferably It to the extent that its edges will engagethe pad, when it is attempted to rock the stud 16 downwardly, thusholding the stud and instrument supported thereby in position.

Ball 17 serves as a universal support for a mirror or other device,fitting in one end of a supporting clamp 24.

The supporting clamp comprises two halves 25 and 26, fastened togetherunder adjustable pressure by thumb screw 27 received in the threadedopening 28 of the member 26. The members 25 and 26 are strips of stiffspring sheet metal and are cupped and apertured at each end asindicated, for receiving and holding the ball 17 and a similar ball 30.The stem 31 of the latter supports a mirror 32 or other desired device.

Each of the strips 25 and 26 is formed as a channel having stiifeningflanges 35 of roughly parabolic profile. The elements 25 and 26 are madeof stiff and springy stainless steel and by reason of their channelcross section are substantially rigid except at their ends wheresufiicient spring for gripping the balls 17 and 3t) isprovided. Theclamp may be turned through any desired angle and the mirror 32 or otherdevice may be turned at any desired angle to the clamp.

A spring 40 may be provided for holding the elements 25 and 26 apartwhen loosening up the screw 27 for inserting or removing the ball 17 or30.

The concave sockets in which the balls 17 and 30 are held are carriedout to the extreme ends of the elements 25 and 26, and the socketsubtend an angle of only about 60, leaving substantially of arc throughwhich the clamp or mirror may be swung in the plane of Figure 4, evenafter allowing for the thickness of the stem, in addition to or moreswing permitted at right angles to this plane. Substantially completefreedom of movement in all directions is thus insured.

What is claimed is:

1. An instrument supporting head band comprising a pair of straps, meansadjustably joining the straps together at one end thereof, a foreheadfitting comprising a sup port adapted to lie fiat against the foreheadand substantially wider than the straps, and means pivotally attachingthe other ends of the straps to the forehead. fitting.

2. An instrument supporting head, band. comprising a pair of straps,means adjustably joining the straps together at one end thereof, each ofthe straps having an aperture in its other end, and a forehead fittingcomprising a pad and a stud passing through the strap apertures'forpivotally attaching the straps to the forehead fitting.

3. A head band according to claim 2, in which the forehead fittingcomprises a resilient pad and a cover plate carried by the stud, thestraps being positioned between the pad and cover plate for compressingthe pad against the forehead upon application of tension to the straps.

4. A head band according to claim 3, in which the upper and lower edgesof the cover plate are positioned for engaging against the pad toprevent tilting of the stud in a vertical plane, when the lead band. isin position on the head.

5. An instrument supporting head band comprising a forehead fitting, apair of straps joined thereto, the free end of one strap having anelongated slot and the free end of the other having an aligned pluralityof apertures, a fastening clip comprising a disc having a threadedcentral stem passing through one of the apertures and through theelongated slot and projections passing through neighboring apertures,and cooperating clamping means comprising a nut carried on the stern forcompressing the straps together.

6. A head band according to claim 5, in which theplurality of aperturesinclude a plurality of spaced sets of three apertures adapted to takethe clip.

7. In an instrument supporting head band and in combination, a resilientforehead pad, a stud fixed in the resilient pad and passing through thehead band, a cover plate conforming to the forehead pad and held thereonby the stud, a ball on the outer end of the stud and a clamp grippingthe ball for mounting an instrument thereon, the

1 boring apertures, the disc having a depressed central area surroundingthe stem, and cooperating clamping means comprising a nut carried on thestem between the projections for compressing the straps together.

9. A head band according to claim 8, in which the nut is of slightlyless diameter than the depressed area of the disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS311,558 Arnold Feb. 3, 1885 402,619 Sardy May 7, 1889 428,761 Sardy May27, 1890 462,737 Ritch et al. Nov. 10, 1891 525,973 Booth Sept. 11, 1894963,036 De Zeng July 5, 1910 1,009,913 Maguire et al Nov. 28, 19111,632,851 Reaves June 21, 1927 1,172,439 Garbs Aug. 5. 1930 1,857,095Glowacki May 3, 1932 2,069,978 Stahl Feb. 9, 1937 2,176,519 AndersonOct. 17, 1939 2,213,118 Bowers Aug. 27, 1940 2,222,167 Brandenburg Nov.19, 1940 2,229,310 Seslaw Jan. 21, 1941 2,434,387 Brandt M Jan. 13, 1948FOREIGN PATENTS 268,462 Germany May 16, 1913 615,537 Germany July 23,1937

